Published: Friday, January 17, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 9:53 p.m.

At 10 years old, not knowing any English, Celina Valdez found herself struggling to keep up in middle school when she first moved to the area from Mexico.

Speaking English as a second language was hard, she said, but she was an A-B honor roll student through most of school.

“I was in 10th grade when I dropped out (of school); I was almost done, but I was struggling at home and stuff, so I had to leave school,” said Valdez, 23.

After leaving school, she hit the ground running and started working more than full-time.

“I had actually two jobs; one I was working in the morning at Golden Corral as a cashier, and the other in the afternoon, I was working at Krispy Kreme as a cashier, too – from one to another, from one to another,” Valdez said. “A few months later, I got pregnant, which I don’t regret it because my son now, was and is, and will always be, my motivation to be always a better person.”

The young mother said her son is what keeps her going and her inspiration to pursue her GED, so that he will understand the importance of school.

“I am doing all this good stuff for him because whenever he grows up, I want him to be better than me,” Valdez said. “I want him to be good in school, focused in school, because it’s really hard to get your GED whenever you are pregnant or you have a kid, you have a job, you have all this stuff in your head to worry about, and it is hard.”

Valdez initially went to El Centro, a local Latino advocacy coalition, to get her GED for Spanish speakers, but said she decided it would be better for her to get one in English. She started working with Blue Ridge Literacy Council in 2011, and a volunteer changed her life.

Valdez was paired with Judy Davis, a new tutor for the council. Davis, who was also new to the area, had passed a BRLC table at the Apple Festival. Since she’d been a teacher for 30 years in Wisconsin and holds a master’s degree in reading, she decided to help out. Valdez was her first student.

“She was just an excellent person to work with,” Davis said. "She comes from a very supportive, close-knit family, so she had that advantage over some people who have nobody to help them out.”

When she first started going to BRLC, Valdez said she thought it would be easier than it was.

“I was just going through so much stuff back then and I had so much stress on my head,” Valdez said. “I mean, I had a full-time job, I had a kid to take care of, I was struggling with my son’s father back then, I was having too much drama going; I was worried about my parents because they needed help, so I had all of those things on my head and then school and then my GED and all of these things, so I felt like giving up.”

Valdez said she felt like there was no end in sight, but her best friend and her family helped support.

“I have a good family, thank God,” Valdez said “I just don’t have words to explain it, you know, to explain all of the things that they have done for me.”

Tutoring was held twice a week for an hour and a half. Valdez and Davis would meet one-on-one and go over the test preparation materials together.

“With Mrs. Davis, I was actually learning more words than I’d ever heard before in school, and she would read them to me and I was always stopping her in the middle of a story wherever she was and say, ‘can you please explain this to me?’” Valdez said. “She did; it was good for me learning more English and getting my GED.”

Davis is one of many dedicated volunteers who help students like Valdez improve their lives. But still more volunteers are needed, and BRLC is seeking residents interested in becoming tutors. Teaching experience or knowledge of another language is not required, and tutors meet with their students twice a week. Orientation sessions and training are provided before tutors are matched with students.

Davis had such an impact on Valdez that she has gotten her sister, parents and boyfriend to go to BRLC for extra tutoring in English.

“It’s just been a really neat family affair as far as, you know, one coming in to get the help - Celina - and then her helping her family by helping them to realize the importance of moving forward with their education," Davis said.

Valdez said she hopes to go back to school to become a certified nursing assistant, and then become a nurse and one day work in a hospital.

“I thank God for sending me the family that he sent me because they really support me, but I especially want to thank Mrs. Davis because all of the time that I was there she was there with me; all the time that I was having trouble she was there with me, she’s really special to me. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her because she did have patience with me and helped me a lot.”

<p>At 10 years old, not knowing any English, Celina Valdez found herself struggling to keep up in middle school when she first moved to the area from Mexico.</p><p>Speaking English as a second language was hard, she said, but she was an A-B honor roll student through most of school.</p><p>“I was in 10th grade when I dropped out (of school); I was almost done, but I was struggling at home and stuff, so I had to leave school,” said Valdez, 23.</p><p>After leaving school, she hit the ground running and started working more than full-time.</p><p>“I had actually two jobs; one I was working in the morning at Golden Corral as a cashier, and the other in the afternoon, I was working at Krispy Kreme as a cashier, too – from one to another, from one to another,” Valdez said. “A few months later, I got pregnant, which I don't regret it because my son now, was and is, and will always be, my motivation to be always a better person.”</p><p>The young mother said her son is what keeps her going and her inspiration to pursue her GED, so that he will understand the importance of school.</p><p>“I am doing all this good stuff for him because whenever he grows up, I want him to be better than me,” Valdez said. “I want him to be good in school, focused in school, because it's really hard to get your GED whenever you are pregnant or you have a kid, you have a job, you have all this stuff in your head to worry about, and it is hard.”</p><p>Valdez initially went to El Centro, a local Latino advocacy coalition, to get her GED for Spanish speakers, but said she decided it would be better for her to get one in English. She started working with Blue Ridge Literacy Council in 2011, and a volunteer changed her life.</p><p>Valdez was paired with Judy Davis, a new tutor for the council. Davis, who was also new to the area, had passed a BRLC table at the Apple Festival. Since she'd been a teacher for 30 years in Wisconsin and holds a master's degree in reading, she decided to help out. Valdez was her first student.</p><p>“She was just an excellent person to work with,” Davis said. "She comes from a very supportive, close-knit family, so she had that advantage over some people who have nobody to help them out.”</p><p>When she first started going to BRLC, Valdez said she thought it would be easier than it was.</p><p>“I was just going through so much stuff back then and I had so much stress on my head,” Valdez said. “I mean, I had a full-time job, I had a kid to take care of, I was struggling with my son's father back then, I was having too much drama going; I was worried about my parents because they needed help, so I had all of those things on my head and then school and then my GED and all of these things, so I felt like giving up.”</p><p>Valdez said she felt like there was no end in sight, but her best friend and her family helped support. </p><p>“I have a good family, thank God,” Valdez said “I just don't have words to explain it, you know, to explain all of the things that they have done for me.”</p><p>Tutoring was held twice a week for an hour and a half. Valdez and Davis would meet one-on-one and go over the test preparation materials together.</p><p>“With Mrs. Davis, I was actually learning more words than I'd ever heard before in school, and she would read them to me and I was always stopping her in the middle of a story wherever she was and say, 'can you please explain this to me?'” Valdez said. “She did; it was good for me learning more English and getting my GED.”</p><p>Davis is one of many dedicated volunteers who help students like Valdez improve their lives. But still more volunteers are needed, and BRLC is seeking residents interested in becoming tutors. Teaching experience or knowledge of another language is not required, and tutors meet with their students twice a week. Orientation sessions and training are provided before tutors are matched with students.</p><p>Davis had such an impact on Valdez that she has gotten her sister, parents and boyfriend to go to BRLC for extra tutoring in English.</p><p>“It's just been a really neat family affair as far as, you know, one coming in to get the help - Celina - and then her helping her family by helping them to realize the importance of moving forward with their education," Davis said.</p><p>Valdez said she hopes to go back to school to become a certified nursing assistant, and then become a nurse and one day work in a hospital.</p><p>“I thank God for sending me the family that he sent me because they really support me, but I especially want to thank Mrs. Davis because all of the time that I was there she was there with me; all the time that I was having trouble she was there with me, she's really special to me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her because she did have patience with me and helped me a lot.”</p><p>For more information about BRLC, call 828-696-3811.</p>